Cycling’s week that was!

Wow! That’s all I can say about this past week. Besides the fact that I’ve been snowed under with my day job (yup – something has to pay the bills), the world of cycling has surely continued to make some noise. Working as a PR for one of the world’s biggest technology and services companies, making noise is something I know how to do. But this week, cycling did not disappoint with two big announcements.

First up, seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong has formally announced his return to the professional circuit  after a three-year absence.

According to Lance himself:

“I am happy to announce that after talking with my children, my family and my closest friends, I have decided to return to professional cycling in order to raise awareness of the global cancer burden. This year alone, nearly eight million people will die of cancer worldwide. … It’s now time to address cancer on a global level.”

There were many rumours making their rounds in the run up to his announcement. The most prominent was that Lance was going to be buying out ASO. Needless to say, this wasn’t true, but it did sound quite reasonable at the time. Especially that it would give him the world-wide reach he would need to get his message out in the fight against cancer.

One rumour, or theory I should say, that did resonate with me, and one I still believe would make a lot of sense is one that was put forward by the Fat Cyclist. The theory was that instead of joining a team, Lance would be forming a new one – Team LiveStrong. With a team branded ‘not to sell a product or company, but to raise money and awareness to fight cancer’, Lance would have a much bigger impact. On top of that, would Tour organiser ASO turn away a team explicitly created to fight cancer, led by the greatest Tour rider ever? Methinks not.

Come to think of it, maybe this could still be part of the plan – the long term plan? The short term plan could be to get back in to the world of cycling, just as he has announced, and to start raising the awareness for the campaign. A year or two on, then ramp up activities and launch Team LiveStrong. This theory has legs and one I think could definitely make its appearance. So keep an eye out for it, and remember, you heard it here first.

Secondly, on Friday the UCI and Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO) decided to call it a truce on their 4-year feud. As I’ve mentioned before in a previous post, the two organisations needed to sort themselves out for the greater good of the sport.

UCI chief, Pat McQuaid: “This agreement marks the start of a new, postive era for the whole cycling family.”

McQuaid also said the UCI would now be proceeding with proposals to re-organise an elite cycling calendar. With 2011 earmarked as the likely date for a real, new beginning for all parties, there will be no Pro Tour ranking next season. Instead there will be a ranking system that takes into account the results of all UCI races.

Let’s just hope that this bitching between the two groups is over and done with. If cycling is ever going to gain the respect it needs at this crucial point in its growth curve, then these two organisations need to show the maturity and leadership qualities that we empower them with!

Last but not least, on Friday I received my press pass for Cycle 2008, the UK’s leading cycling show, which is taking place in early October (9th – 12th to be exact). Am looking forward to walking around the halls at Earls Court and checking out all the new products coming to our shores. So look out for my upcoming posts on this event.

Well, that’s all for now. Let me know your thoughts on the Lance theory. Also, let me know if you are going to be at Cycle 2008.

Lance to buy Tour organisers Amaury Sport Organisation…?

Lance Armstrong

A rumour, started in Australia over the weekend, has it that the real reason behind Lance Armstrong’s return to the world of cycling next year is so that he can buy Tour organisers Amaury Sport Organisation.

SMH give their reasons behind this as (if it was true):

Were Armstrong to own ASO, it would give him a huge European-based sporting arm through which he could promote the Lance Armstrong Foundation and expand exposure for his own personal sponsors.

It is worth noting that ASO, whose revenue in 2006 was €150 million ($263m), does not just own the Tour.

It also owns nine other races – including the Tour Qatar and Tour du Faso in Africa – the Dakar car rally, Paris marathon and half-marathon, the French Golf Open and the R.I.D.E international equestrian event in Normandy. The return of Armstrong to racing after a four-year hiatus – let alone if he won – would also reinforce the Armstrong branding that he virtually had on the Tour during his reign as champion, and would cement it as its future figurehead.

And if such a deal pains the French, should not the blame be pointed at ASO’s owners for giving up a national icon?

If it sounds absurd, there have been a number significant events that hint at such an outcome.

American ownership of ASO would strengthen the bridge between it and the US-based Anschutz Entertainment Group which organises, among other events, the Tour of California.

Furthermore, the event already supports two cancer charities and has been listed by Armstrong as one of the races he will compete in next year. A relationship already exists between ASO and AEG, too.

Last year, they settled on a marketing partnership deal.

The prospect of an Armstrong-UCI coalition involving UCI vice-president Verbruggen also carries weight. The Dutchman appears available. He stood down as an International Olympic Committee member on August 24.

The UCI also announced during the Olympics that it had met with the Amaury Group to settle a long-standing dispute with the tour organisers over the official sanctioning of races.

But did they discuss more?

Nothing was said by the UCI then about a possible ASO takeover. Nor has it been since. But, interestingly, no tour executives were present at those talks, or at the UCI press conference in Beijing.

Recent whispers also hint that several ASO executives may soon be leaving. Such a scenario would leave Australia, South Africa and other countries in the southern hemisphere as the next frontier for the Armstrong-UCI ticket.

The gain for the UCI is its association with Armstrong, while for Armstrong, it would allow him to take his fight against cancer worldwide.

Which is, after all, the reason he says he is getting back on the bike.

Now this all makes huge sense to me. Plus, even if it turns out to be wrong, it’s still not a bad idea for Lance to consider.

However, as expected the UCI have already countered this claim. Contacted by Cycling Weekly, UCI president Pat McQuaid dismissed the whole idea of an Armstrong-UCI-Verbruggen takeover of the Tour as something that: “never was and never will be a possibility. In fact, it’s so far removed from the truth that if it were closer to the date I would consider it an April Fool’s Day joke. It’s just not true”.

Ah well, it still makes for interesting reading and a ‘potential’ future prospect that sounds rather exciting.

TdF Photography

Found a great link today at Reuters.com with some wonderful pictures from this year’s Tour de France.

I personally like picture #14 of the pack of riders cycles in the Alps mountains during the fifteenth stage of the Tour de France between Embrun and Prato Nevoso on July 20, 2008.

When you get a spare moment, go take a look. Well worth it.

UCI says dispute with Tour organiser is over

Well about damn time too! According to news reports coming in today, the UCI has struck a deal with Tour organisers, ASO, to settle a year long dispute that has led to a string of court cases.

According to a report on the Associated Press:

Pat McQuaid, president of the International Cycling Union, said Monday there will be a new ranking system for riders, teams and nations starting in 2011. That system will determine which teams must be invited to compete in the Tour, the world’s most prestigious cycle race.

The Tour de France will become a UCI event again. The UCI’s ProTour competition will continue.

The discussions were held under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee and were mediated by IOC member Jean-Claude Killy.

The Amaury Group, owner of the Tour de France organizer, was not immediately available to comment.

All in all, good news for the world of cycling.

UCI’s ProTour series dealt severe blow

This news just in:

BBC Sport: Cycling teams quit ProTour series

The International Cycling Union’s (UCI) control of the sport has been dealt a blow as all 17 teams decided to leave the elite ProTour series.

The ProTour, which started in 2005, guaranteed the top teams a place in the leading races.

“It has been decided unanimously not to renew the ProTour licences for the 2009 season,” the teams said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

An interesting move from 17 of the 18 teams in the ProTour series. According to other news sources, the teams will be seeking a “new system of organisation for professional cycling.”

Watch this space as this story develops.

Lemond’s PR machine in full swing

Armstrong & Lemond in 1994

I have to say, I’ve been watching the cycling press of late and it seems that Greg Lemond has definitely switched his PR machine ON. A good few months ago you practically heard not a word from the guy. Then news came out about a month ago, that following some comments he made about Lance Armstrong, Trek Bicycle Corporation was terminating the contract they had with him to produce his own-named range of bicycles.

Lemond, who has always been very outspoken on the subject of doping, seems to have got his PR team into gear and is now going full throttle with them. Their timing couldn’t be better, especially with the TdF now entering its second week.

First there was noise about Lemond saying that cycling no longer needs the UCI.  At the start of the second stage of the Tour, he told journalists, “Cycling no longer needs the UCI.” He also added, “The UCI is just there to stamp licences and make the regulations. The solution for cycling is very simple: organisers and riders should create their own federation and take over the sport.” The American’s comments sounded like strong support for Tour de France organisers Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), who are embroiled in a long feud with the UCI over the organisation of the sport.

Notice though that he made these comments at this year’s Tour. This is the first time since 1990 that Lemond is making an extended visit to the event. According to news sources, he attributes his long absence to several factors — post-cycling health problems, for one, and more recently, the prevalence of doping that has turned many fans sour on the sport.

It seems to me that Lemond is trying make his way back into the world of cycling, although not on the bicycle, but as an outspoken past Tour winner against doping in this beautiful sport.

Who know’s what his end objectives are, only time will tell what they are. But you have to hand it to his PR team. They are doing a great job at getting their man back into the lime light.